Bed davenport



April 29, 1958 J. R. THOMAS 2,832,032

BED DAVENPORT Filed Sept. 26, 1955 5 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR: JOSEPH R. THOMAS ATT'Y J. R. THOMAS BED DAVENPORT April 29, 1958 Filed Sept. 26, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. JOSEPH R. THOMAS ATT' Y April 29, 1958 J. R. THOMAS 2,832,082

BED DAVENPORT Filed Sept. 26, 1955 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 4 INVENTOR:

JOSEPH R THOMAS ATT'Y United States This invention relates in general to convertible furniture and is more particularly described as a bed daven port having connected sections which are unfolded from a furniture frame to form a bed and are collapsed or folded from an extended or bed position into a folded position within the frame and having improved means for insuring that the portions of the bed sections are additionally engaged for projecting them outwardly over a fixed front rail and for guiding them inwardly over the rail in the unfolding and folding movements.

It has been previously proposed to guide the foldable sections of a bed davenport continuously into and out of the frame by a coordinating connection which causes the folding and unfolding of the sections in a predetermined manner as they move from one position to the other, and in those furniture frames which are strengthened by a front board between the lower parts of the separated arms, it is desirable to assist the folding and unfolding movement of the sections by insuring that they do not engage the top of the front board in their movement in either direction thereover.v

The present invention overcomes this objection by providing coordinating means connected between all of the bed sections and additional means controlled by one of the mounting levers which will cause the operation of an additional lifting device adapted to engage some of the parts in their folding and unfolding movement and to prevent the parts from engaging the top of the front board by providing a guide which is raised at the proper time to prevent contact of the bed davenport parts with the top of the front board.

An important object of the invention is to provide a bed davenport construction having foldable sections with additional guiding means for engaging some of the sections to guide them in their movement over the top of the front board.

A further object of the invention is to provide a folding bed davenport having a lever automatically operated by one of the mounting links for interposing a guide adjacent the top of the front board which engages and assists the folding and unfolding movement of the sections by raising them above the upper edge of the front board in their movement into and out of the frame.

A still further object of the invention is to provide operating mechanism for folding bed davenports independent of a front board which assists in counter-balancing the opening and closing action of the parts and raises the structure in unfolding so that the legs or the leg rollers will not strike the floor until they are well out in front of the frame.

Other objects of the invention will appear in the specification and will be apparent from the accompanying drawings in which, i

Fig. 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 is a partial top plan view, some of the parts being shown in section, of a bed davenport construction in extended position to form a bed.

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Fig. 3 is a side view of the structure shown in Fig. 1 in a partially folded position.

Fig. 4 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 1 in a completely collapsed or folded position forming a seat.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged perspective view showing a detail of the connection between the seat section and intermediate section with the attachment of the coordinating mechanism.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged perspective view of the additional operating mechanism connected to one of the mounting levers; and t Fig. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of the joint connection between the intermediate and outer sections.

Although folding bed davenport constructions are usu ally counter-balanced by their mountingsand by springs, it is sometimes difficult to coordinate the movement of the parts, to raise them over the top of front boards fixed at the lower front sides of the frame, and the present construction is therefore provided to assist this operation in the folding and unfolding movement of the bed sections and in accordance with the coordinated movements of the sections as they are moved in a predetermined manner into and out of the frame.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the foldable seat and bed structure is mounted in a seat frame 10 having side arms 12, an upholstered back 14, a back panel 16 and a cross rail or front board 18 extending between the side arms at the lower front portion of the frame. The side arms are shown extending above the seat in Fig. 4, but the upper portions of the arms may be omitted if desired to provide for different seat styling.

The foldable bed sections comprises a seat section 21, an intermediate section 22, and an outer section 23. The seat section comprises side bars 24 connected at the front in seat position by a cross piece 25 which registers with and rests upon the front board 18 determining the posi' tion of the seat at the front of the frame in seat position. At the rear of the seat section in seat position, each side bar 24 has an upward extension 26 connected with the opposite extension by a strengthening cross bar 27 and each extension 26 is additionally supported by an angle brace 28 connected between the side bar 24 and an intermediate portion of the extension 26. i

The seat section is the only one which isipositively mounted within the frame 10 and it is mounted to swing for overturning movement upon links 29 and 30. These two links are connected at each end of the seat section by means of a strap or bar 31. These two links are pivoted at each end of the seat section to a bar 31 attached to the outer side of each side bar 24 and each having an upward extension 31a in the seat position with a pivot 32 to each of the inner sides of the side arms 12, the mounting bar being located at an angle extending upwardly from the front toward the rear of the frame and having a pivot 36 near its upper end to which the upper end of the link 29 is connected. This end portion of the rear link 29 is formed with a bend 37 which extends below the mounting bar when the seat section is: in its seat or inverted position as shown in Fig. 4, but when the seat section is in its overturning position, the high mounting of this link on the pivot'36 will, throw the seat section high in the frame in front of the upholstered back and the bend 37 allows the link to extend upwardly in its overturning movement of the seat section. The other end of the forward link is connected by a pivot 38 with the lower end of the mounting bar but as it swings upwardly, it also raises the seat section in its overturningmove'ment as it is connected to the upward extension 31a which is disposed downwardly below the seat in the inverted position as shown in Fig. l.

The intermediate'section 22 has side bars 39, each connected by two links 40 and 41 (see also Fig. 5) to the seat section, the first link having a pivot d2 connected to an angle bar 26a attached at the inner side of the extension 26 which is in the form of an angle bar so that the pivot 42 is intermediate the ends of the extension 26 of the seat section. This first link also has a pivot connecting it with the extremity of the side bar 39 of the in termediate section. The other link 41 is preferably in the form of a bell crank connected by a pivot 44 with the angle. bar 2611 attached to the extension 26 of the side bar 24 of the scat section, and the other end where the bell crank is located being connected by a pivot 45 near the end of the side bar 39 of the intermediate section 22 and having a pivot 46 in the angle of the bell crank which extends below the side bar in bed position and it is connected to one end of a coordinating link 47.

The coordinating link at each side of the intermediate section is connected at its other end (see also Fig. 7) by a pivot 48 to a plate 49 which forms a hinge between the intermediate and outer section. This plate is fixed to the inner end of a side bar 50 of the outer bed section 23 by rivets 51 and projects below the section to provide means for engagement of the rivet 48 and projects beyond the end of the side bar 50 to provide space for the engag ment of a pivot 52 which connects the adjacent end of the side bar 39 of the intermediate section for pivotal movement.

The intermediate and outer bed sections are each supported in bed position by legs 53 and 54 at each side of the respective sections. The legs 53 on opposite sides are connected by cross pieces 55 for joint movement and the legs 54 on opposite sides are connected by a cross piece 56. A plate 57 is attached to each side bar 39 by rivets 58 or other fastening devices with a pivot 59 at the upper end of the leg connecting it to a portion of the plate extending below the bar 39 in bed position. In order to operate the legs 53, a short link 60 is connected by a pivot 61 at one end to the upper portion of the leg at a short distance from the pivot 59, and the other end of the link is connected by a pivot 62 with the coordinating link 47.

Each of the other pair of legs 54 is connected at its upper end by a pivot 63 with the side bar 50 of the outer bed section 23 at a point intermediate the front and rear of this section. An operating link 64 preferably in the form of an angle bar, is connected by a pivot 65 at one end to the adjacent end of the coordinating link 47 close to the attachment of the mounting link at this end by means of the pivot 48 and the other end of the link 64 is connected by a pivot 66 with the leg 54 near its connection with the side bar 50. One web of this link 64 projects laterally to provide a broad surface for engaging an operating element hereafter described and it is substantially in line with one web of the leg 54 which is also preferably of angle bar construction when they are in folded condition as shown in Pig. 4. The end of the link which is connected to the coordinating link 65 preferably is reduced in width (see Fig. 7) by reduction steps 64a and 64b so that this portion of the link will not interfere with the other elements in the folding and unfolding actions.

Within the confines of the sections as shown in Fig. 2 is a mattress supporting fabric 67 usually of metal links connected to the side bars of the sections by helical spring 68 and in the seat section are thin metal strips 69 connected to the other fabric by helical springs 70, the other ends of the strips being connected by links 71 with an angle bar cross piece 72 to which the other cross piece 25 may also be connected for additional strengthening purposes. Covering the strips 69 in the seat section is a strong fabric 73 which overlies the strips in the bed position as shown in Fig. 2. At the outer end of the outer section 23 is a bar- 74 bent at the ends and connected to the section side bar 50 which forms a fixed head, foot or pillow rest.

As thus constructed and connected, the bed sections are adapted to fold below and partially behind the seat section in the seat position as shown in Fig. 4 and the seat section is inverted rearwardly and returned within the frame as shown in Fig. l, as the intermediate section 22 and the outer section 23 are extended in front of the furniture frame It). The seat section is supported by the links 29 and 3t? and the movements of the legs and the sections are coordinated by their connections with the link 41, the coordinating link 47 and the link 40 at each side of the sectional bed.

In its extended positions, the bed sections are locked against accidental folding movement by positioning the pivots 46 and 48 so that they will be slightly below the pivots 45 and 52 in the extended position of the bed for example, so that in returning or folding the bed sections, the outer section 23 and the connected intermediate section 22 must first be manually lifted together to unlock the pivots 46, 46, 45' and 52 in a well known manner before the folding operation can be completed in its regular controlled movement by the coordinating linkage.

As an additional means for assisting the folding and unfolding operation of the bed sections, the mounting bar 35 as shown more clearly in Fig. 6 is provided with an offset lower end 75 preferably seated against a block 76 attached to the adjacent inner side of the side arm 12 t0 thus inwardly offset and support the end 75. In this end 75 is a pivot 77 for mounting an operating member 78 which is shown as a somewhat irregular or S-shaped piece with a pivot 77 located near one end of the member. At the adjacent end of the operating member is a connected at its other end as by rivets 83 with the lower portion of the forward operating link 30 which is pivoted at its lower end to the mounting bar 35 by its pivot 38. Thus the movement of the forward links 30 at each side of the bed will cause the movement of the operating member 78.

The other or free end of the operating member 78 is preferably formed with an offset extremity 84 which carries a projection preferably in the form or" a contact roller 55 which is thus extended into the path particularly of the front leg 5 E- of the outer folding section and also that of the inward web of the angle bar link 64 which is connected to the leg.

The operating member 78 is thus rotated about its pivot 77 by a coil spring 36 and by its connection through the link so with the forward link 3% of the overturning seat mounting from a position in which the contact roller 85 extends inwardly from the front of the bed frame as shown in Fig. 4 when the bed sections are in seat position, to an outwardly extending position as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 6 when the bed sections are extended to form a bed.

The coil spring 86 is connected at one end with a projection 37 on the operating member between its pivot 77 and the offset 84 and at the other end, the spring is connected to a projection 88 at the inner side of the adjacent side arm 12. The operating member 78 is thus initially moved in the proper direction by the spring 86 which tends to draw upwardly from the closed position as shown in Fig. 4 and also from the open position as shown in Fig. 1 after which the movement is continued link 80.

gaseous In the intermediate position as partially represented in Fig. 3, this operating member is swung upwardly from its inner position to its outer position in contact with the outer leg 54 when the bed sections are swung outwardly to form a bed and it is swung upwardly and inwardly from its outwardly position as shown in Fig. 1 to engage the leg 54, and thereby to raise the legs 54 and to assist in supporting the connected bed sections at the critical time where the legs and the bed sections pass over the fixed front board 13.

This action also assists the lifting movement of the bed sections upon the mounting levers 29 and 30 when the sections are raised Within the frame either in the folding or unfolding movement and is a part of the coordinating movement of the levers since the mounting levers 30 are connected to the seat section and the seat section is connected to the other sections and to the coordinating linkage by the linke -i0 and 41 so that the lifting movement of the operating member is thus connected to and is a part of the coordinating linkage by which all of the connected sections are operated in a single smooth movement either to fold or unfold the section when either movement is initiated.

In the inner position in the folded or seat position of the connected sections, they may be additionally sup ported at either side by a bracket 89 connected to the adjacent inner side arm and projecting inwardly Within the frame to engage the lower edge of the mounting link 30 as shown more clearly in Fig. 4. In the seat position, a loose upholstered cushion 90 or a plurality of such cushions are commonly placed upon the seat section and are resiliently supported by the strips 69 and the covering fabric 73 for the strips, in a well known manner.

This construction operates to raise the outermost bed section quickly at the front of a bed davenport frame to a. sufficient degree to clear a supporting front board as 18 which connects the opposite side arms when the seat section is overturned rearwardly, and this action is continued by the coordinating link 47 so that although the front legs 54 commence to open when the seat section is separated from the outer section 23 as shown in Fig. 1, the outer section 22 and the intermediate section 23 are projected sufficiently forward with respect to the frame that the legs 53 and 54- do not engage or strike the floor until they are well out in front of the frame. This prevents the legs from rolling or scraping along the floor, and in the reverse movement of folding the sections, the two outer sections are manually raised to disengage the pivot locking connection and to return the sections into folded position within the frame as controlled by the coordinating link 47.

With this construction and arrangement, the folding sections of a bed davenport are extended to form a bed in front of the frame and they may be returned from bed to seat position by manual operation in which the coordinating and folding movement between the seat sections is assisted by a connected coordinating lifting and lowering action control and operated by the mounting levers in which the operating member at each side of the bed frame has the resilient application of a spring 86 to cushion the lifting and the returning engagement of the coordinating sections as they are moved into and out of the frame.

While this preferred construction has been described in some detail, it should be regarded as an illustration or example rather than as a restriction or limitation of the invention as various changes may be made in the construction, combination and arrangement of the parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the in vention.

I claim:

1. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means mounting the seat section for overturning movement in the frame with the other sections foldable below the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, and operating means comprising a movable contacting member connected to the said mounting means for separately engaging a portion of one of the bed sections for lifting and guiding it through a portion of its travel into and out of the: frame in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections.

2. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hingedwith respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means mounting the seat section for overturning movement in the frame with the outer sections foldable below the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, a fixed front board extending at the lower front edge of the frame, and operating means comprising a pivoted contacting member connected to said mounting means for separately engaginga portion of one of the bed sections for guiding it over the front board in the movement of the sections into and out of the frame.

3. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means mounting the seat section for overturning movement in the frame with the other sections foldable below the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, coordinating means connected to the seat and bed sections for predetermining the path of folding and extending movements of the sections, and operating means pivoted to the frame and connected to the said mounting means for separately engaging a t portion of one of the bed sections for guiding it through a portion of its travel into and out of the frame in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections.

4. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means mounting the seat section for overturning movement in the frame with the other sections foldable below the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, coordinating means connected to the seat and bed sections for predetermining the path of folding and extending movements of the sections, a front board fixed at the lower front edge of the frame, and operating means pivoted to the frame and connected to the said mounting means and movable in accordance with the coordinating means for separately engaging a portion of one of the bed sections for guiding it through its travel over the top of the front board in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections into and out of the frame.

5. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means mounting the seat section for rearwardly overturning movement in the frame with the other sections foldable below and partially behind the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, a front board fixed at the lower front edge of the frame over which the bed sections must pass when the seat section is overturned in the frame, coordinating means connected to the seat and bed sections for predetermining the path of folding and extending movements of the sections, and operating means pivoted to the frame and connected to the mounting means for separately engaging a portion of one of the bed sections for guiding it over and free from the top of the front board in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections into and out of the frame.

6. The combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame,

s if means mounting the seat section for rearwardly overturning movement in the frame with the other sections foldable below and partially behind the seat section in seat position and to extend in front of the seat section in bed position, a front board fixed at the lower front edge of the frame over which the seat sections must pass in their folding and unfolding movement, and operating means mounted in the frame at the rear of the front board and comprising a movable contacting member connected to the mounting means, raised and low-- ered to form a guide for engaging a portion of one of the bed sections for guiding it over the top of the front board in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections into and out of the frame.

7. In a bed davenport in accordance with claim 1, the mounting means comprising pivotally connected front and rear links and the operating means including a member connected for swinging movement with the forward mounting link and movable into the path of a portion of one of the bed sections to guide it into and out of the frame at the lower front portion thereof.

8. A bed davenport in accordance with claim 7, in which an operating member is pivotally mounted in the frame near the'front lower portion thereof and has one end movable from a low position in the frame to a raised position therein when the bed sections are mor ing into and out of the frame and the operating member having a pivotally connected linkage for connecting it to the forward operating link for rotating the operating member in accordance with the swinging movement of the forward mounting link.

9. A bed davenport construction in accordance with claim 2, in which the mounting means comprises forward and rear pivoted links upon which the seat section is overturned and the operating means comprises a member pivotally mounted at the rear of and below the upper edge of the front board, a linkage connecting the operating member to rotate one end from a position below the top of the front board to a position above the top of the front board when the bed sections travel into and out of the frame, the upper end of the operating member in its raised position engaging a portion of one of the sections and guiding it above the top of the front board in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections.

10. In a bed davenport in accordance with claim 3, the mounting means comprising front and rear pivotally connected links at each side of the seat section and the coordinating means connected from the seat section to the other sections, the operating means comprising a lever pivoted intermediate its ends in the frame adjacent the front board, a linkage connecting one end of the lever with the forward mounting link to swing the other end of the lever up and down in accordance with the overturning movement of the seat, and the free end of the operating lever being moved from the position below the upper edge of the front board to a position above the upper edge of the front board for engaging said porsaosa 8 tion of the bed sections in timed relation with the coordinating means in guiding the bed sections over the top of the front board.

11. A bed davenport in accordance with claim 8, in which the bed section engaged by the mounting means comprises a side bar with a leg pivoted to collapse against the bar in folded relation and the operating member comprises a lever with one end movable to engage the leg in guiding the sections upwardly at the front of the frame during their travel into and out of the frame.

22. in a bed davenport, the combination with a seat frame, of a plurality of connected seat and bed sections hinged with respect to each other and movable into and out of the frame, means comprising a pair of links mounting the seat section for overturning movement in the frame with one of the other sections foldable at the bot tom of the frame and another of the sections foldable upwardly at the rear of the frame, the bed section at the bottom of the frame including a leg pivoted thereto at each side, an operating member comprising lever pivoted intermediate its ends in the front lower portion of the frame, one end of the lever having a contacting portion movable to engage the said leg of the lower seat section as it passes into and out of the frame, the lever having an operating link connected at the other end thereof, and an operating arm having a fixed connection with one of the mounting links and a pivoted connection with the said operating link for positively moving the contact end of the operating lever from a position at the bottom of the seat frame when the seatand bed sections are in completely folded and unfolded positions to a raised posi tion in the. path of and for engaging the said leg when the bed sections are moved into and out of the frame in the folding and unfolding movement of the sections.

13. A bed davenport construction in accordance with claim 12, in which the operating l or is moved back and forth from a lower position to a raised position by the mounting link to contact the leg of the section and the engaging end of the operating lever having a contact roller which extends in the path of the said leg.

14-. A bed davenport in accordance with claim 13, in which the contacting end of the operating lever has a spring connected at one end to the contacting end of the lever and at the other end to the seat frame tending to move the lever upwardly into engaging position.

15. A bed davenport construction in accordance with claim 12, in which the said leg engaged by the operating lever has a laterally extending web and the said operating link connected thereto also has a laterally extending web which is a substantial continuance of the surface of the leg in its folded condition so that the operating link may pass from one to the other in the folding and unfolding movements of the sections.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

